i browsed the forums for an answer to my problem but did not find anything that helped.. here's the situation:

i installed all software necessary for the ipod (a 10gb, newest generation) on my PC, which has windows me. at one point it asked me to attach my ipod so it could format it.. i did this and it displayed the 'do not disconnect' screen on the ipod.. after about 15 minutes with no change on my PC screen or the ipod i got impatient and removed the ipod and continued with the software installation.. (i am not sure if this is what caused the problem)

after everything was done installing i attempted to run musicmatch jukebox.. it then came up with a message box that said something like 'unable to detect ActiveX controllers or they are not registered'... it then said there was an error and musicmatch would close.

i then downloaded and installed ephpod.. and MacOpener 6.05.. ephpod did not find the ipod in the drive list.. sooo..

i installed the new FireWire card that i recently purchased with the ipod because i neglected to notice that i already had one.. this is a VIA OHCI Compliant FireWire card, which i read about and many people were able to use this card successfully with their ipods.

now, iPod Manager won't recognize my ipod, even when i plug it into my old FireWire card (which did recognize it)..

i also downloaded and installed MoodLogic in an another attempt to get this thing working..

i have uninstalled/reinstalled the software that came with the ipod several times, and i have done this with ephpod as well...

all suggestions are appreciated.. if something like this has already been posted, please direct me to the post.. i really want to get this thing working and i don't want to take it back out of frustration...

thanks